In response to the violent incidents that unfolded during the Maratha quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange-Patil, the Maharashtra government has appointed Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik to head the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT is tasked with probing into the acts of violence, arson, stone-throwing, and the spread of rumors on social media during the Maratha agitation.
The announcement of the SIT follows directives from Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in February, responding to the demands of BJP MLAs after an incident involving Jarange-Patil’s attack on Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
IPS officer Sandeep Karnik, a member of the 1998 batch, has been given a three-month timeline to complete the investigation. The probe will encompass various facets of the Maratha agitation, and Karnik has been granted the authority to involve additional experts in the process.
Manoj Jarange-Patil, at the center of the agitation, responded to the SIT announcement, expressing that he had nothing to fear and claiming a conspiracy against him. The SIT formation aligns with the legislature’s commitment to addressing instigation of protests and the use of derogatory speeches against constitutional posts.
Earlier revelations by Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis highlighted the involvement of certain individuals encouraging Jarange-Patil and orchestrating violent incidents. The establishment of war rooms in Sambhaji Nagar and Navi Mumbai for the agitation was also disclosed.
Jarange-Patil’s agitation gained attention when it turned violent, leading to police intervention and lathi charges against his supporters in Antarwali Sarati village, Jalna district. The subsequent acceptance of Jarange-Patil’s demand by the government granted Marathas with Kunbi antecedents the benefit of quota in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, acknowledging Kunbi as a peasant sub-caste of Maratha eligible for OBC reservations in government jobs and education.
